“I choose human life over war,” Jerry Bordeleau shouted through a microphone, before tossing the medals onto the street.

Another man said he was representing deserters who can’t come back to the U.S. and threw many of their medals away.

Steven Acheson, an Army veteran who before the march said he had been waiting a long time for this moment, though he was also anxious about it, threw away his medals for the children of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“May they be able to forgive us for what we have done to them, may we begin to heal and may we live in peace from here till eternity,” he said.

So. looking back at the IVAW people we profiled last week, we had a phony Ranger, Steven Acheson who didn’t have much medals to toss, Aaron Hughes who was stationed in Kuwait, and a bunch of people who deserted to Canada, and this is for whom who we’re supposed to feel sympathy?

In fact according to some people who actually know Graham Crumpner, the phony Ranger, doubt he was even in the military at all. Of course, I can’t verify that at the moment because I can’t match him to an address. People are telling me he lives in Colorado, but there’s no record of him there.

So, at this point, I have to think that’s the case in the reenactment of the John Kerry Memorial Medal Toss Event. People who aren’t allowed in the United States and a phony Ranger. Phht! Who cares what they have to say.

ADDED: I know there’s a woman who kinda looks like Army Sergeant in the video, so I called her and asked her where she was and she says she wasn’t there, but there is someone who looks like Matthis, too (he’s not taking my calls) so I’m wondering if the IVAW is letting him back in the fold.

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They didn’t think this through….what if they want to run for President 30 years from now…and someebody pulls up this old story. They’ll look like Retards….oh, they are.
So, the fakes threw what…the National Defense medal?

Wow, I saw what looked like a Soldiers Medal being worn and some chick said they are suffering from “military sexual disorder” What the hell is that? If the Stolen Valor Act is overturned and rewritten, I think there needs to be a clause that states for anyone who publically throws their medals away in protest, then their records will be pulled and all medals and ribbons earned will be officially revoked. One day, these A$$ Holes will likely pull a John Kerry and reclaim them and brag about their service for their own political or personal gain. From my perspective if they throw them away, they give up their right to claim them from that point on.

Of course it is a reenactment of the John F’n Kerry event. John threw somebody else’s medals, because he wanted to keep his own. These also threw somebody else’s medals, because they weren’t entitled to the ones they claimed. How authentic of them.

Just a Grunt-exactly right. Most of them doubtlessly figured that the military was just a way to get some sweet GI Bill money. When they were asked to actually honor their end of the deal they were shocked that they might have to risk their precious little necks and then they also probably sucked at their jobs (though Hughes has an ARCOM with V, for what it is worth-that was about the most impressive thing that I saw). Anyway-it goes straight to the point that others are making-if they are so ashamed, why not show some real commitment and give up their GI Bill or other benefits? It’d be very interesting to see who among them happily accepts a check from Uncle Sugar associated with their service.

This is just a replay of the Vietnam Veterans Agaist the War event, much like a bunch of other VVAW inspired/directed IVAW events.

There is a cadre of old VVAW pukes in Philadelphia Chapter of Veterans For Peace that mentored the IVAW and the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers) provided office/phones to the IVAW in their Philadelphia complex.

It was pretty funny to watch as it unfolded, too. Their formation was particularly hilarious.

And the reasons for tossing? Claiming because he got a dishonorable discharge (and the crowd roars), the assualt thing repeatedly (huh? ya got an idea who uses acid on little girls’ faces?? It ain’t US!), and all the variations upon the “all I wanted was $$ for college” theme.

After seeing them, then Rev Jesse walking off down the alley later, got more respect for the Rev than them.

I’ll just throw this question out for y’all: How many of YOU have a big wall of pictures at home that commemorates the things you’ve done that you’re ashamed of, that you regret, that you wish you could take back?

They’re a bunch of fucking hypocrits. They don’t want the medals? They don’t want to have anything to do with the military? Huh? Then why the fuck are you running around in bits of your uniforms and singing cadence and standing in formation (I just love the part where one of the chuckleheads brings everyone to the position of attention and the camera zooms in to get a good face shot of them looking so serious)? Why don’t you burn your DD 214, at a public display, along with your VA ID card and uniform if you’re so shit hot to want to distance yourself from a “military that you are ashamed of”? Yeah, show the world how fucking serious you are. Walk the walk, bitches, don’t just talk the talk.

And yeah; that really did look like Metthis up there in his class A uniform.

What we can all take away from this is that while most of us just want to do our part, and give what we feel is owed to our country. Others just want to know what is owed to them, plain and simple. These guys remind me of the lady who called in to the radio station in monterey, ca the day after 9/11 and said “i dont understand why we cant just call up mister bin laden and talk this out, cant we just work things out peacefully?” Makes me sick.

Ok, I’m just a Jarhead so would someone explain to me that if they are so anti-war and anti-military, why do they keep wearing parts of their military uniforms and ‘pose’ in what passes for Army “parade rest”? When I left the democRATic party, 25 years ago, I disposed of everything I had related to that party. I can only imagine what type of soldiers they were.

Holy crap … Come to NYC and pull a stunt like this, during lunch time, perhaps near the WTC site, wall street or any neighborhood in NYC, line up with your non-valorous medals, expound vile and disrespectful words, toss the medals over a fence, and run for your fuckin’ lives. These pieces of shit would not last a day here!

What a bunch of ‘squared away’ douche bags. Just from this video, I’d be willing to follow any one of them to battle … uhhh … well maybe to the PX for ice cream … uhhh … well maybe to the 7-11 for a bottle of mad dog … uhhhh … well maybe to the woodshed where they could receive a massive and complete freaking ass whuppin’. But then again, they have already proven themselves to be losers. An ass whuppin’ would only prove the need for another ass whuppin’. I wouldn’t be surprised if John F’n Kerry wasn’t on the other side of the fence grabbing those medals so he could claim them too. Douchebag.

I think the wearing of the uniform is to “look the part.” If you don’t look like a burnout vet then noone will take you seriously, unfortunately the only ones who take them seriously are idiots who buy into the meme. If they showed up not looking like ass and wearing normal clothes nobody would buy that they had problems. Hell other than all my tattoos I doubt that anyone could tell I am a vet. I guess you have to look like a dirtbag to throw away your medals…I guess well if the shoe fits.

Mohawks are a traditional American military haircut, but that is another agument…

The high and stupid…I mean tight is just a well groomed Mohawk. They do look like hot garbage and I don’t see anything close to what would pass for parade rest in the army…atleast not in any respectable unit.
Was interesting to read one of the schmucks had a V device…if its a faker or exaggerator or valor displayed by being somewhere not so impressive. If it is anything like the way every single unit I was in or attached or around the V device means some serious soldiering and remarkable things were done….unless of course he was an officer than he could just pencil whip his own much like Kerry the ivaw idol

I am so full of rage right now. These douchenozzles are the same numbnut bags of dicks that made my life as an NCO challenging…that is, the ones that made it out of BCT. Anyone want to take bets on how many of these losers got chaptered out of basic, recieved bad conduct discharges, or stopped showing up to drill at their NG/reserve units long before deployment ever reared its ugly head?

I’m glad they got rid of them. Whiny, lying, self centered scum like them don’t deserve to wear the ribbons and medals that real veterans have earned. I’m a fobbit, and I’ve experienced more hardship than these idiots. The few IVAW sycophants who did serve cut and ran when they felt inconvenienced for the temerity of the government requiring them to uphold their end of the contract.

When did any of them, among other things, man remote COPs, experience daily mortar bombardments, convoy on IED infested roads, get wounded, lose friends, been recalled without shirking their duty, went without a shower for weeks, crap in MRE boxes, or work twelve hours a day or longer?

If I ever run into one I will break their nose on behalf of all the real veterans who can’t because they’re busy doing their duty instead of wandering around the country whining and mooching for a living.

This is Acheson. I only gave back two medals, but I have many more, including a Valor Device. I spent 18,000 miles as lead driver throughout Sadr City, and Eastern Baghdad, Iraq. Believe me, I’ve seen it all. I never claimed to be a Ranger, although I believe there were at least two Rangers, both with multiple deployments, and at least one prior Special Forces, with three deployments. What surprises me is that all of you “soundbite” junkies can’t even get past you own ignorance long enough to read about the real reasons we gave back our medals. Those reasons are to bring attention to Military Sexual Trauma, TBI, PTSD, and the FACT that our troops are being redeployed to Iraq and Afghanistan against doctors orders, against NATO’s own policies…These wars have gone on long enough, we’ve served our corporate masters well, now it’s time we serve ourselves!

No, the reason that you did what you did was for attention for yourself. Your actions did NOTHING to help any any of the causes that you claim to support. How are you going to fight the stigmia of PTSD when you are playing the role of a crazy veteran who wears a bastardize version of his old uniform because he cannot let go? I mean if it is your goal to try to help Veterans, you are failing. Badly.

And our Battalion PA was a SF medic, and many of our officers, Sr NCOs were SAPPERS. But what does that have to do with anything about anything?

Also I would be more impressed if you gave back all the money that your received for hazard pay during your deployment. Since you have not done so, all of your words about living for yourself are kinda empty. How can you claim that you are free of your “corporate masters” when you are most likely using benefits derived from the system you decry. Also Tell me how you going to “serve yourself” without the products of corporations affecting your everyday life? Try now. So come back and tell me how free you really are. I can wait.

Oh and just to let you know, I have been to the same areas that you say that you have “seen it all” and to be honest I was not that impressed. Not to the extent that you claim it to be. Not impressed at all.

Acheson, you are a perfect example of a hypocrite. I disagree with your views, but I do appreciate strength of conviction so put up or shut up. Keeping tokens of your alleged involvement in an ‘illegal war’ should be anathema to those who are truly opposed to the war. You don’t deserve them since you seem to be incapable of ] self-sacrifice and enduring hardship on behalf of others.

I’ll bet you even use your GI Bill despite the association it has with the military. I developed many disagreements about OIF over the course of my enlistment, but I would have never refuse to deploy. I made a commitment to the military and my country, and adults honor their promises. Too bad your integrity is so lacking that once you were inconvenienced you went on a farcical and naive speaking tour about how unfair it was that the military held you to your word. Next time actually read the enlistment contract.

I am pretty liberal, but am still disgusted by the resulting association with spineless professional liars such as yourself. You all seem to forget that the military is not here to make you happy. YOU are there for the military (and the nation.) That is why the military is ubiquitous with concepts of sacrifice and duty.

You are addicted to the IVAW personality cult. None of you can function without the attention and adulation from the anti-war movement who don’t have so much as a clue about the military.

Acheson, of course you would buy the egregiously inflated Military Sexual Trauma numbers. I felt safer at the barracks and on deployment with my guys than I do here on my very safe college campus. Despite the many women I served with I never so much as heard a peep of credible truth from any of them (myself included.)

There must be something funny in the water since I was never raped, nor ran into anyone who were deployed against their Doctor’s orders. They would never even have had to go on those deployments if lazy self-absorbed personnel such as yourself got off your butts and honored the commitments you made when you signed the contract.

Of course that involves working instead of humping the media’s leg for coverage of you basking in the attention your narcissism craves. Save yourself the trouble of wandering around bothering people with your nonsense, and get a mirror instead.

Still no reply. How convenient. I’m sure Acheson must be in shock that most veterans refuse to fawn over his petulant publicity stunt. I guess the droves of Code Pinkers fighting to hump his leg over his Catcher In The Rye reenactment must have spoiled him.

OWB, they probably snuck back later and grabbed them all. They can’t go to the grocery store without wearing a piece of their uniform or take a photo without included their I Love Me Wall in the background so there’s no way they’re giving up their Firewatch Ribbon.

Wow, this is really late in the game, but just read it and had to respond.

First, no one at the event was a deserter from Canada. Deserters in Canada had a Vietnam veteran attend the event as a representative for them. I know for a fact that one of those deserters deployed because we talked for hours about Paktika and Waza Khwa, and the ROE in that particular area.

Second, there were a total of three Rangers at the event, all of whom knew each other from their service. I know they are legitimate because I’ve seen their pictures and heard their stories, and verified their acquaintance with Kevin Tillman (who wrote an antiwar book). By the way, Mary Tillman is a supporter of IVAW, so you can extend your rhetorical insults to the Tillman family as well.

Third, NATO medals were thrown back because it was a NATO event. That’s the symbolism. It wouldn’t have made sense to do otherwise. Some chose to wear their uniforms because they are proud. In defining themselves, their history matters. It shaped them and has branded them. It is a conflict that they walk with inside everyday and a conflict that they wish to express to an American audience who often has a simplistic understanding of war. Sherman, Butler, MacArthur, and Eisenhower, all expressed the hellish nature of war and the dumbness of it all, yet the heroism and pride that also came with it. And most IVAW members share that bizarre and seemingly contradictory narrative of war because this is what it is.

Fourth, virtually all present at the event were not ashamed of being veterans. Quite the opposite. Most of their work has shifted toward caring for veterans with mental trauma, which is treated secondary to physical trauma, as if the mind is not a physical organ but some unimportant detachment from the body. They were ashamed of their government for sending fellow soldiers to fight for and defend the second-most corrupt government in the world, where 55% of GDP originates bribes and drug money, where women are allowed to be raped by husbands and imprisoned for leaving spouses, where laws against bachi bazi go unenforced, where every democracy index says that there is no democracy (Afghanistan). They are ashamed that their government surrendered to the will of Al Qaeda by doing exactly what they had hoped for: invade Afghanistan and get bogged down in a quagmire that bankrupts the economy, severs alliances, and kills US soldiers (see David Kilcullen’s “Accidental Guerrila”). They are even more ashamed of the leaders who lied to send them to Iraq, where there is still no democracy (see Colonel Larry Wilkerson and Freedom House). They are ashamed of their Pentagon, which knew that terrorism is only defeated through military action 7% of the time but invaded anyway (see RAND Corporation’s “How Terrorist Groups End”). They are ashamed to have fought under the heading “Operation Enduring Freedom,” when 9/11 had nothing to do with the cost of freedom but with US foreign policy in the Muslim world (see CIA Bin Laden Issue Station founder Michael Scheuer and his “Imperial Hubris”). They are ashamed that their government gives foreign military financing to autocratic theocrats in the Muslim World (including Qaddafi and Mubarak), while claiming to care about democracy (see US Department of State and Col Andrew Bacevich).

The Warrior Ethos says to place the mission first. These IVAW members always do. They place democracy, the Constitution, and security before all else, and they put it into practice. War is just a means, not a mission, and when war fails to secure those sacred ends of democracy and security, they say no to it. It’s that simple. It’s not pacifism, it’s not anti-Americanism. It’s their duty as soldiers and it’s an expression of pragmatism, not radicalism. And the Warrior Ethos says to never accept defeat or quit. So when they realize these truths–that the War on Terror is just simply not working, which is a widely-held, popular view–then they adapt and adjust, continuing to act in ways contrary to the current policy of war, which continues to kill good soldiers fighting for what they believe is right. They could be silent, they could sit in dark bars, they could keep their nightmares to themselves, they could choose to not care, but it’s not okay to see people like themselves in uniform dying for bullshit. If you think IVAW is radical, then so is the VA. Even they recognize the seriousness of “moral injury” because PTSD, TBI, MDD, and MST do not explain why twice as many veterans with PTSD symptoms kill themselves than their civilian counterparts–and why veteran suicide continues to climb (new record in 2012). This blog can continue to use IVAW as a punching bag, but when the VA recognizes moral injury as a serious pathology of guilt and shame that veterans deal with and that can be treated through even symbolic act of conscience and reconciliation, then IVAW will continue to provide a community for these veterans to heal and this blog can continue having no impact on veterans or the institutions that dishonor them.

PS IVAW dislikes lying and faking just as much as you. Please continue uncovering the truth when you find it, but don’t swiftboat veterans with little or no evidence. Who knows, maybe if you actually contacted some of the people you’re suspicious of, they might actually prove themselves so you didn’t have to suffer the mistake of denying the service of good soldiers. You questioned whether I was even in the military at all because I didn’t have a Military.com account. You have to do better than that.

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About thisainthell

We are all military combat veterans and we write primarily from that perspective. Everyone who writes here has a Combat Infantry Badge, a Combat Medic Badge, a Combat Action Badge or a Combat Action Ribbon. We write about issues that matter to combat veterans..read more »